Back in the late 1800s, the war had become more of a memory than a recent occurrence. Industrialism had taken root, and with the brick factories, towering stacks, and network of railways, Atlanta was well on its way to becoming the regional center of trade and commerce. Though it had been burned to the ground only a few short decades earlier, urban life had sprung from the ashes.

Atlanta has always been a lush place, but the areas of public green space had been relegated to the neighborhoods that were, one by one, springing up throughout the landscape. Up until the last decades of the 19th century, there wasn’t one (for lack of a better word) central park.

But if anything, Atlanta needed some venue at which to showcase its prowess. Expositions were all the rage at the time (being World’s Fair-ready was a sign that a city had “made it”), so the powers that be selected famed landscape architect Joseph Forsyth Johnson to design a space in what is now Midtown Atlanta. Johnson had just finished Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, so when he was commissioned to do a job in Atlanta, his mind was flooded with ideas.

The end result was a sort of primordial Piedmont Park. The expositions were held there were a success, certainly, and served their intended purposes nicely, but by the time 19-oughts rolled around, it was clear that this piece of land was only serving the minimal amount of potential it had up its sleeve. The City of Atlanta purchased the property, as well as some surrounding green space, and procured two of the most influential landscape architects in the country at that time: the Olmstead brothers. These two had a lot of live up to: their father was the guy responsible for laying out Central Park in New York City.

The plan was a big one, and honestly, the brothers were a little worried that the city might not be able to foot the bill for what they had in mind: a five-mile walking trail; spaces for swimming, athletics, recreation; a multitude of trees and greenery brought in from other parts of the region; variations in topography; a beautification process that would really make the lake “pop;” and most of all, the sort of infrastructure that would ultimately drive up residential desirability in the surrounding neighborhoods (it worked in New York, so why not in Atlanta?). Suffice to say, money was pushed around, and it didn’t take long for a rough draft to be applied to real life.

It’s been more than a century since this revamped mega park was officially completed, and it’s pretty easy to tell that the brothers’ vision was a success. Today, Piedmont Park stands as one of the most pristine areas of green space in the South, and for many an Atlantan, it’s the crown jewel in a city that holds its public parks dear.

If you’re a newcomer however, it’s very possible that you haven’t taken the time to give this park a look-around. Here are some highlights and points of interest for those who have yet to be acquainted: